Waldemar Rodrigues da Paixão | |
|---|---|
 Mestre Waldemar, Liberdade, 1953, byAlice Brill | |
| Born | (1916-02-22)February 22, 1916 |
| Died | 1990 (1991) |
| Other names | Mestre Waldemar |
| Known for | Capoeira mestre |
Waldemar Rodrigues da Paixão (February 22, 1916 – 1990), known asMestre Waldemar (Valdemar, Waldemar da Liberdade, Waldemar do Pero Vaz), was a Braziliancapoeiramestre and musician from the state of Bahia. He is considered one of the most artistic and skillfulcapoeira Angola players of his time.[1]
Waldemar lived in the Corta-Braçoslum, a poor neighborhood inSalvador, later known asLiberdade. He held capoeirarodas in his backyard shed (barracão) every Sunday.[1] He kept his rodas open to all capoeiristas, regardless of their style. Mestre Waldemar's roda became one of the most important meeting points for Bahian capoeiristas.[2]
Waldemar Rodrigues da Paixão was born in 1916 on Ilha de Maré. He started learning capoeira in 1936 at the age of 20. His learned from teachers such as Canário Pardo, Peripiri, Talabi, Siri-de-Mangue, and Ricardo of Ilha de Maré.[3]
I always wanted to stay out of brawls, out of trouble. Everyone appreciates me, everyone likes me. If you go here and there, you won’t find anyone who speaks badly of me, in any subject. I know how to treat everyone well, I don’t mistreat anyone.[3]
In the 1940s, Waldemar established a practice venue in the Corta-Braço, which would later become theLiberdade neighborhood ofSalvador. He held capoeira sessions there every Sunday and also taught in the lower city. His practice encompassed a variety of capoeira styles, ranging from the slower to the more combative.[4] In Waldemar'sroda, there was a referee with a whistle to control the games.[5] Capoeiristas often arrived at theroda armed, but their respect for Mestre Waldemar showed as they handed over their weapons to thebartender while they engaged in the game.[3]
When there was a disobedient student, I got the rest of the group together and told them to beat him up, lightly.[5]
In that time,Mestre Bimba created a newcapoeira Regional style, and made attempts to persuade other capoeira mestres to embrace his innovations. He went as far as organizing a gathering that included renowned angoleiros likePastinha and Waldemar. However, they politely declined his proposal, choosing to remain loyal to traditional capoeira.[6]
During the 1950s, his capoeira in Liberdade attracted academics, artists, and journalists. Ethnologists likeAnthony Leeds in 1950 andSimone Dreyfus in 1955 recorded the sounds of theberimbaus. SculptorMário Cravo and painterCarybé, who were also capoeiristas, frequented his training space. Later on, the majority of renowned capoeiristas claimed that Waldemar had a significant influence on their own capoeira, includingMestre Cobrinha Verde from theNordeste de Amaralina neighborhood andMestre Bimba.
According to Albano Marinho de Oliveira (1956), the Liberdade group began singing long solos before capoeira games (now calledladainhas). Waldemar himself claimed, in an interview withKay Shaffer, to have been the one to introduce the practice of painting the berimbau. Crafting and selling berimbaus to tourists became a source of his income.
Despite growing old and being unable to play capoeira or play the berimbau due toParkinson's, Waldemar still participated somewhat in the movement to revive traditions in the 1980s. He sang on various occasions and recorded a CD withMestre Canjiquinha in 1984.[3]
Mestre Waldemar died in 1990 and is remembered as one of the greatest mestres of capoeira.
Mestre Waldemar has its secret mortal blow calledDentinho de Angola (little tooth of Angola):
TheDentinho de Angola can kill, yes ma’am. The movement involves curving the body and lifting the heel of your shoe to the opponent’s Adam’s apple. It’s mypulo de gato. [cat’s leap, an expression referring to a professional secret, a trick of the trade][7]
His learning method did not involve repetitive sequences:
I taught in the roda, but there were also training days. They would play and I would make a signal to dotesoura, I would make a signal to dochibata. I would make a signal for the other player to duck.[5]
Music:
Videos:
In Bahia, there is a neighborhood and a street named after him.
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| Music | |
| Mestres | |
| Techniques | |
| Groups and foundations | |
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| International | |
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